Cool Show: Karaoke inspires Unknown Mortal Orchestra's latest track

Jun. 19, 2013

Unknown Mortal Orchestra. / Special to the Register

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Unknown Mortal Orchestra

When: 6 p.m. Monday Where: Vaudeville Mews, 212 Fourth St. Cost: $12

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Over the last few years, the Portland band Unknown Mortal Orchestra has toured almost nonstop. While working on a second album, the band decided to scale things back a bit. They have a few upcoming gigs in the states before heading overseas, including Monday’s show at Vaudeville Mews.

Ruban Nielson founded the band after his former group, The Mint Chicks, broke up in 2010. The Mint Chicks was started by Nielson and his brother, Kody, in their native New Zealand, but they relocated to Portland in 2007.

“At the end of a tour we stopped in Portland. My uncle was there and we were supposed to stay overnight. We ended up staying a couple weeks,” Nielson said. “I had never wanted to live in the states before, but my mom was born in Hawaii, so I knew I could get a passport. But I got really excited about the idea of living in Portland.”

Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s most recent recording, a cover of Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,” was much less involved. Nielson said the band got the recording on one take, and that the whole process was inspired by a night out at a bar.

“Someone took us to a karaoke bar and we were singing a bunch of songs,” Nielson said. “I was really drunk and got excited to do that song, but then we left. The next day I still had the feeling I wanted to sing that song, and that’s when I realized I’m in a band. I can just sing it.”